ISO 3166-1 alpha-3

"ISO 3166-1 alpha-3"
Code
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ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 is a part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and defines codes for the names of countries, dependent territories, and special areas of geographical interest. The alpha-3 code uses three-letter codes to represent countries and regions, providing a more comprehensive identification than the two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes.

Overview

The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes are three-letter country codes which allow a better visual association between the codes and the country names than the alpha-2 codes. These codes are used in various global systems and data processing applications, making them integral in world commerce, data management, and information exchange.

Usage

The alpha-3 codes are used in various international contexts, including:

• United Nations reporting
• International sports events, like the Olympic Games, where countries are often listed by three-letter codes
• International banking and business for transaction processing
• Global logistics and shipping

Format and Allocation

Each code consists of three upper-case letters, and is uniquely assigned to a specific country or territory. The codes are standardized and maintained by the ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency, which is responsible for ensuring that the list of codes remains up-to-date as countries change their names, borders, or political statuses.

Examples

Some examples of ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes include:

• USA - United States of America
• FRA - France
• AUS - Australia
• BRA - Brazil

See Also

• ISO 3166-1
• ISO 3166-1 alpha-2
• ISO 3166-2, the second part of the ISO 3166 standard which covers codes for the principal subdivisions (e.g., provinces or states) of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.

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